Compare towns
Dedham vs Marshfield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dedham | Marshfield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
25,879Highest |
5,796Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,345Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 19% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Marshfield | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Marshfield High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.